Death Takes A Raider

Al Davis is drop-kicked through the goalposts of life.

Al Davis is the one on the left.

A Bay Area death about which we give half a shit. Now that the old fool is dead, maybe things will pick up for the bad boys of the NFL. If not, a good excuse if the team doesn't do too well this season.

Known for, or at least suspected of, underhanded ploys like bugging the visiting team’s clubhouse, he infuriated other owners with his relentless self-interest; Dan Rooney of the Pittsburgh Steelers once called him a “lying creep.”

For his part, Mr. Davis once said of his fellow owners: “Not all of them are the brightest of human beings.”

Don Shula, the Hall of Fame coach, once said of Mr. Davis, reporting on a conversation they’d had: “Al thought it was a compliment to be considered devious.”

[...]

He rehabilitated others, like receiver Warren Wells, defensive linemen Lyle Alzado and John Matuszak, and quarterback Ken Stabler, whose reputations were sullied (either before or after they became Raiders) by allegations of criminal behavior, drug use, gambling or other transgressions.

The Raiders’ colors, silver and black, were chosen by Mr. Davis to intimidate. As was their insignia, a shield emblazoned with the image of a pirate in a football helmet in front of crossed sabers. The Raiders’ unofficial team motto, coined by Mr. Davis — “Just win, baby!” — was reflected by the take-no-prisoners style of play he encouraged, featuring brutal physicality on defense and speed and long passing on offense.

Indeed, his allegiance to the so-called “vertical” passing game led to some ill-advised draft choices, especially late in his career, notably JaMarcus Russell, a big-armed passer from Louisiana State who was the first pick in the 2007 draft and who was out of the game three years later. But Raiders fans loved the swashbuckling recklessness of an offense built around the big play.

Enough from The NYT. An era passes, there will never be another, blah blah blah ...

And one cannot argue w/ these: